Beginner’s Guide to Social Networking for the Classroom


Back in the early days of online social networks, many popu- lar virtual communities for students were either decentralized, or existed in forms that made them less than approachable to the average educator. The ICQ and AIM networks consisted of not much more than disjointed chat sessions, with conversa- tions sometimes lasting just a few minutes to possibly hours, depending on how engrossed the participants were in the chats. MySpace, the progenitor of most current day virtual social net- works, often resembled the best and worst aspects of students’ social interactions as parents and educators started to explore what online social networking was all about.


Although social networking technologies have advanced quickly in just a few shorts years, and the number of electronic devices


8 | ESTABLISHING THE ENVIRONMENT


As someone who specializes in instructional technology, sur- rounding myself with technological tools and toys every day, many educators are often surprised when I begin conversa-


Winter 2013 | MACULJOURNAL


By Ben Rimes


accessible to teachers has increased dramatically (when including those that the students themselves can bring to school), there are still many educators who would like to introduce some aspect of social networking into their classroom. Whether it’s extending face-to-face discussions onto the internet, or looking for ways to create virtual study sessions, there are many ways for teachers to reach and connect with students and parents in the social net- working space.


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